Bell-cord attachment



(No ModeL) G. A. LA FEVER.

BELL CORD ATTACHMENT.

No. 395,839. Patented Jan. 8, 1889.

INVENTOR:

WITNESSES ATTORNEYS;

N, PETERS. PlwloLilhographer. Wuhingltm D. C.

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. LA FEVER, OF SELKIRK, NEIV YORK.

BELL-CORD ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 395,839, dated J'anuary 8, 1889.

Application filed January 9, 1888. Serial No; 260,137. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LA FEVER, of Selkirk, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Bell-Cord Attachment, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings, forming a part thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a por tion of a railroad-car, showing the application of my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, of my iniproved bell-cord attachment; and Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the guide and bell-cord in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

The object of my invention is to furnish a device for attachment to the passenger-cars of railways for engaging and cutting the bellcord when the cars separate, thereby preventin g the cord from being drawn rapidly through the car and endangering the passengers My invention consists in a carriage mounted on a guiding-bar, supported in a horizontal position in the car above the bell-cord, and provided with a device for clamping the cord and severing it in case of an unusual movement of the cord.

In the car A, above the bell-cord B, is supported a horizontal bar, C, parallel with the bell-cord. One end of the bar C is fastened to the end of the car and the opposite end is bent at a right angle and held adj ustably by the hanger D, attached to the ceiling of the car. The right-angled end of the bar extends through an eye, a, in the lower end of the hanger, and is clamped therein by a setscrew, 1).

From the bar C suspended a carriage, E, formed of the frame F, provided with ears 0, which extend above the bar 0 and carry grooved rollers (l, which ride upon the upper edge of the bar. The slotted arm G, extending downward from the center of the frame F, carries a grooved horizontal bar, H, in the groove of which the bell-cord B rests. In the slot of the arm G is placed a wedge, I, provided with a slot, 6, which receives a pin, f, passing through the slotted arm G. The lower end of the downwardly-projecting arm g, at the rear end of the frame F, is bored longitudinally to receive the spiral spring h and the shank of the shoe '2 ,which is pressed downwardly by the spring 72. The shoe 2'- rests upon the cord B with a pressure sufficient to cause the carriage E to move along with the cord.

In the slot of the downwardly-projecting arm j, at the forward end of the frame F, is pivoted a bent lever, is, to the inner end of which is pivotally connected a knife, Z,which is supported normally a short distance above the cord I3. The outer and upper end of the right-angled lever k is connected with a sliding rod, on, which passes through the arm j and is provided with a head, it, between which and the arm 7' is placed a spiral spring, 0, which tends to force the rod m outward. To

prevent the rod m from turning and to assist.

in guiding it, a guide-rod, p, is attached to the head 72 and extends through a hole in the arm In the normal working of the bell-cord and carriage sufficient longitudinal movement is allowed to permit of ringing the bell; but when the cord breaks and is suddenly pulled in the direction indicated by the arrow it is clamped between the wedge I and the bar H, which causes the carriage E to move forward toward the end of the car, and when the head 02 of the rod m strikes the end of the car the lever Z; is turned so as to force the knifel through the cord, thus severing it. The rearward motion of the carriage is limited by a collar, q, clamped on the red C by the setscrew 2.

To facilitate introducing the bell-rope into the groove of the bar H, I provide a notch, s, in the center bar of the frame F and for supporting the bell-rope when not connected with the attachment I provide a snap-hook, t, of ordinary construction, which is suspended from the frame F by a short piece of rope.

To prevent the frame F from moving when the attachment is not in use, a hook, to, is attached to the end of said frame in position to engage an eye projecting from the collar q.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a bell-cord attachment, the combination of the bar 0, suspended from the ceiling of the ear, the carriage E, provided with rollers d, adapted to rest upon the bar 0, the

slotted clamping-Wedge I, inserted in a slot of the grooved bar H for receiving the rope B, the bar G, the knife L, the lever K, pivotally the slotted Wedge I, carried bythe carriage E, connected with the knife and pivoted in the I and the spring-pressed follower 1', carried by carriage E, and the spring-pressed bar M, prothe carriage and adapted to clamp the rope 5 vided with the head N, arranged to engage i B upon the groox'ed bar H, substantially as I 5 the lever K and operate the knife L, snbsmnspecified. tially as specified. I GEORGE A. LA FEVER.

2. In a bell-00rd attaeh1nent,t11e combina- \Vitnesses: tion of the adjustable bar 0, the frame F, 1110- I J. B. SELKIRK, 1o vided with rollers d, resting upon the bar 0, D. O. BULL. 

